Nottingham Forest have made an approach to Newcastle United for the winger Wayne Routledge.

Routledge, 26, who played a significant role in Newcastle's return to the Premier League after joining the club from QPR for an undisclosed fee in January last year, spent the second half of the last campaign on loan back at Loftus Road.

He was expected to make a permanent return to Rangers, but was unable to agree a deal, and now Forest have stepped in to try to lure him to the City Ground.

The Newcastle manager, Alan Pardew, has recruited Sylvain Marveaux among his summer signings to date, while Hatem Ben Arfa's return to fitness and the presence of Jonás Gutiérrez and Joey Barton gives him options out wide.